Panoramic camera.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

C. MILLS..

PANORAMIG CAMERAv APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. 1902. RENEWED APR. 23. 1903.

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No. 744,928. PATENTE D NOV. 24, 1903. G. MILLS.

PANORAMIC CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. 1902. RENEWED APR. 23. 1903.

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PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

0'. MILLS.

PANORAMIC CAMERA.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 2. 1902. RENEWED APR. 2a. 1903.

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Patented November 24, 1908.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES MILLS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PANORAM IC CAM ERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,928, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed July 2,1902. Renewed April 23, 1903- Serial No. 1 (N0 model) To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MILLS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Panoramic Camera, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved panoramic camera arranged to permit convenient adjustment of the film-carrier nearer to or farther from the lens, to allow the use of lenses of different focuses on the same apparatus, and to permit of presenting both concave and convex surfaces of the focusing-screen or film to the lens to distinctly bring out on the finished picture nearer or farther portions of the object to be photographed.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear elevation of part of the film -carrier. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one end of the film-carrierand the spring-clamp thereon.

The casing A of suitable construction is provided at the back with doors A, adapted to be opened for giving convenient access to the interior of the casing A. In the front of the casing A is arranged a lens-carrier B for supporting interchangeable lenses 0, mounted to turn in a container D, having a flexible apron connection F. with the sides, top, and bottom of the casing A, at the front opening thereof, as indicated in Fig. 1. Within the casing A is arranged a carrier F for temporarily supporting the focusing-screen or the sensitive plate or film, and the said carrier consists, essentially, of a skeleton back formed by sets of spaced horizontal bands F F 'of sheet metal or other flexible material slidingly connected with each other by loops F secured on the inner portions of one set of the bands and engaged by the free inner ends of the other set of bands to allow of lengthening or shortening the back for the purpose hereinafter more fully described. The outer ends of the bands F are connected With each other by flexible connecting-bars F and a similar bar F connects the outer ends of the bands F with each other. The inner portions of the bands F are also preferably connected with each other by a connecting-bar F located a distance from the terminals of the said bands, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The connecting-bar F is provided on its front side-that is, the side toward the lens C-with a spring retaining-clamp G for engaging and holding one end of the flexible focusing-screen or flexible sensitive film H, (shown in broken lines in Fig. 1,) and the connecting-bar F previously mentioned, carries a manually-actuated spring-clamp I for engaging and holding the other end of the focusing-screen or sensitive film H.

The top and bottom bands of the sets of bands F and F are engaged by bearings J, secured on the upper and lower ends of posts K, preferably made tubular and containing spring-pressed rods K K having points K K at their outer ends to engage the bottom and top otthe casing A to hold the posts K in either a vertical or inclined position within the casing A. A spring L in each post K serves to press the rods K K outward in opposite directions to firmly engage their points K K with the bottom and top of the casing A. The rods K Y are provided at their inner adjacent ends with handles K K, extending rearward through a slot in the tubular post K to allow the operator to take hold of the said handles K K and press the same toward each other against the tension of the spring L to slide on rods K K toward each other, and thus withdraw thev points K K from the bottom and top of the casing and allow of moving the posts into any desired position within the casing. On the 'operator releasing the handles K K the springfin the post pushes the rods K K outward n opposite directions, so that their points reengage the bottom and top of the casing to hold the posts in position within the casing. When the rods K and K are in a Withdrawn position, as above described, they can be locked and held in this position by a loop K fulcrumed on the handle K and adapted to engage the handle K.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the posts K engage with their bearings J the top and bottom bands of the sets of bands F and F at different points in the length of the back, and two posts are located near the end connecting-bars F F. The middle post K may be rigidly secured to one set of bands F or F as shown the set of bands F; but this post is also provided with the spring-pressed attachingrods K K above explained, and shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5.

6n the inner surface of the bottom of the casingA are arranged concentric lines N, N, N and N the center of which coincides with the vertical axis of the lens-carrier B, and these lines N, N, N and N have their radii corresponding to the focal length of the dif ferent interchangeable lenses 0 to be held in the lens-carrier B. The lines N, N, N and N serve as a guide for setting the carrier F in position in the casing to hold the focusingscreen or sensitive film H at the proper position relative to the focal length of the lens 0 in use at the time. Now by having the posts K movably arranged in the casingAitis evident that the carrier F can be readily set so as to conform to any one of the lines N, N, N or N especially as the carrier is made in sections which can be moved lengthwise one on the other to shorten or lengthen the back to accommodate the screen to the length of the lines N, N, N and N By having each post slidably connected lengthwise with the carrier F and by permitting setting any individual post in the casing at any desired point it is evident that the back of the carrier F can be so held within the casing that it presents an irregular face to the lens 0, and consequently the focusing-screen or sensitive film held on the carrier presents con vex or concave surfaces to the lens as well as segmental portions, and the film may present a segmental face only to the lens, if desired. By having the posts removable and adjustable within the casing A it is also possible to set any or all of the posts in an inclined position relative to the vertical axis of the lens-carrier B, as indicated in Fig. 3, so as to incline the face of the film relative to the vertical axis of the lens-carrier.

The lens-carrier B is provided with the usual chamber 13, normally engaged, locked, and closed by a pivoted cap 0 within the easing A, at one side thereof, and a similar cap 0 is arranged within the casing, at the other side thereof, to engage and close the chamber B after the carrier B has made its sweep and the exposure is at an end. The usual mechanism is employed to impart the desired revoluble movement to the lens-carrier 13 to make the exposure.

The operation is as follows: For focusing purposes the carrier F is set along the line N, N, N or N determined by the lens (1 used, according to the nature of the object to be photographed, and then the operator in viewing the ground-glass surface of the focusing-screen on opening the doors A can readily determine which of the bars, if any, of the carrier F have to be set nearer to or farther from the focal center of the lens, and the operator correspondingly sets the post K to produce the desired result-that is, to give an undulating shape to the carrier F or to have portions of the carrier inclined if the object to be photographed requires it. Then the focusing has been completed, the focusing-screen is removed, the doors A are closed, and then the film is placed in position on the carrier F by the operator introducing the film through sleeved apertures in the top and bottom of the casing A. One end of the film is pushed in engagement with the spring-clamp G, and then the film is gradually unrolled along the front face of the carrier F, and finally the clamp I is opened and the other end of the film is engaged with the clamp I, after which the latter is released, so as to securely clamp the film in position on the carrier F. Previous to releasing the clamp I the operator pushes on this end of the film, so as to firmly place the film in contact with the back of the carrier F, so that the film assumes the exact shape of the carrier, and consequently presents segmental convex, concave, and inclined surfaces to the lens as the latter in its sweep exposes the film to the action of the light during the subsequent exposure.

It is understood that in some object-s to be photographed it isdesirable to bring out more particularly distant objects, and for this purpose it is necessary to move a corresponding portion of the film nearer to the focal center of the lens, and, reversely, for bringing out more fully nearer portions of the object to be photographed, the film is moved farther from the focal center of the lens, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. Thus by the arrangement described it is not necessary to unduly stop down to bring in more distinctly distant parts of the object, and consequently the photographer is enabled to make a rapid exposure, which would not be the case if the camera was stopped down.

By allowing adjustment of the carrier F along the lines N, N, N", and N the scope of the camera in a vertical direction is greatly enlarged by possible adjustment to the curving focus of lenses of longer or shorter equivalent focus.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- l. A panoramic camera having a casing, and a film-carrierin the said casing, comprising a skeleton back and posts forsupporting the back and adjustably held in the casing, as set forth.

2. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier made flexible, and means for holding the flexible carrier in position for undulatingly supporting the film, for the latter to present both concave and convex surfaces to the lens, as set forth.

3. A panoramic camera having means for supporting a focusing-screen and a film in positions presenting both concave and convex surfaces to the lens, as set forth.

4:. A panoramic camera having means for supporting a sensitive film in positions presenting both concave and convex surfaces to the lens, as set forth.

5. A panoramic camera having means for supporting a sensitive film in positions presenting concave, convex and inclined surfaces to the lens, as set forth.

6. A panoramic camera having means for presenting a sensitive film in an irregular line to the sweep of the lens, as set forth.

7. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier capable of flexing in the direction of its length and undnlatingly support a film, for the latter to present concave and convex surfaces. to the lens, as set forth.

8. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier capable of flexing in the direction of its length and adapted to be set at an angle to the axis of a revoluble lens-carrier, as set forth.

9. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier provided with a flexible back, retaining means at the ends of the back for engaging the ends of a film, to hold the latter in position on the back, and means for engaging the back for supporting any part of the latter and the fllrn in an undulating position, as set forth.

10. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier provided with a flexible back, retaining means at the ends of the back for engaging the ends of the film, to hold the latter in position on the back, and means for engaging the back for supporting any part of the latter and the film in an inclined position relative to the vertical axis of a revoluble lens-carrier, as set forth.

11. A panoramic camera having a casing formed with concentric lines, a revoluble lenscarrier for carrying interchangeable lenses, the axis of the carrier coinciding with the center of the said lines, the focal lengths of the lenses corresponding to the radii of the said concentric lines, as set forth.

12. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier comprising longitudinally extending flexible bands, bars connecting the bands with each other, and posts slidably connected with the said bands and adapted to engage the top and bottom of the camera, to hold the carrier in position within the casing, as set forth.

13. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier comprising sets of longitudinally-extending bands slidably connected with each other, bars for connecting the outer ends of the sets of bands with each other, posts having bearings slidably engaging the longitudinal bands, and spring-pressed rods having points, held in the said posts and adapted to engage with their points the top and bottom of the camera-casing, as set forth.

14:. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier com prising sets of longitudinally-extending bands slidably connected with each other, bars for connecting the outer ends of the sets of bands with each other, posts having bearings slidably engaging the longitudinal bands, spring-pressed rods having points, held in the said posts and adapted to engage with their points the top and bottom of the camera-casing, and means under the control of the operator for manipulating the said rods, as set forth.

15. A panoramic camera having a film-carrier comprising longitudinally extending flexible bands, bars connecting the bands with each other, posts slidablyconnected with the said bands and adapted to engage the top and bottom of the camera, to hold the carrier in position within the casing, a spring-clamp on one of the connecting-bars, and a manu ally-controlled spring-clamp on the other end connecting-bar, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' CHARLES MILLS. lVitnesses:

THEo. G. HOSTER, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

